Fraud conviction for man who reported car stolen, sent it to Nigeria

Aviva Canada collaborates with Durham Regional Police

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Aviva Canada, one of the country's
leading providers of home, auto, recreational vehicle, group and
business insurance, is applauding a recent conviction that is another
step towards tackling costly insurance fraud.

This past August, a vehicle was reported stolen by an Aviva Canada
customer. In taking the report for the stolen vehicle, the Aviva Canada
adjuster noticed inconsistencies in the insured's details and raised
concerns with the in-house investigative team.

Working with the Durham Regional Police, Aviva Canada was able to trace
the path of the vehicle to a shipping container that cleared Canadian
customs and departed for Nigeria in July. It wasn't until after the
vehicle had cleared customs that the insured reported the vehicle
stolen.

"Like staged accidents, unrecovered vehicles and staged thefts are
becoming a bigger problem in Canada," said Greg Dunn, Executive Vice
President, National Claims with Aviva Canada. "Insurance fraud costs
everyone, but through continued cooperation with local authorities we
can take these costs out of the system to help reduce premiums."

Durham Regional Police charged Desmond Stewart, 55 years old, from
Whitby, ON with Public Mischief and Fraud over $5,000. Aviva Canada
also denied Mr. Stewart's claim and cancelled his insurance policy.

On October 4, Mr. Stewart pleaded guilty to Public Mischief for falsely
reporting a stolen vehicle. He was ordered to pay $3,450, received one
year's probation, and is required to complete 100 hours of community
service.

What can consumers do to help fight insurance fraud?
Report it! If enough consumers alert authorities to this type of
activity, fraudsters will be easier to capture and convict. Canadians
that suspect insurance fraud can contact the Insurance Bureau of
Canada's TIPS line at 1.877.IBC.TIPS, the Financial Services Commission
of Ontario's Fraud Hotline www.fsco.gov.on.ca/TipNow or call 1-855-5TIP-NOW, or Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-TIPS).

What Aviva Canada is doing to fight fraud?
Building on already strong capabilities, Aviva Canada has stepped up its
tough approach to tackling fraud with more dedicated resources and an
investment in technology that aims to identify fraud and even
anticipate the potential for fraud before it happens. With an
industry-leading anti-fraud team, plus solid public sector and industry
collaboration, Aviva Canada is well positioned to combat fraud better
than ever before. The impact of Insurance fraud in Canada is estimated
at more than $1.6 billion dollars annually.

About Aviva Canada
Aviva Canada is one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance
groups in Canada providing home, automobile, recreational vehicle,
group and business insurance to more than three million customers. A
wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, the company has more
than 3,000 employees, 25 locations and 1,700 independent broker
partners. Aviva Canada and its employees invest in positive change
including through the Aviva Community Fund and Eva's Initiatives, its
partner in Aviva's global Street to School program to help homeless and
other at-risk youth reach their potential.